Big Cat's Mic Drop
Donation protected
We are the good friends and fantasy football league mates of one, Mr. Thomas Brent Wilkinson. On Sunday morning November 8th, 2020, we learned that our friend Brent had been rushed to the hospital late the previous night, and ultimately had passed away.
We lost not only a member of our fantasy football league of more than 10 years, but a veteran who had served his time in Iraq; a friend who always thought of others before himself; and a human being whose absence in our lives has been profoundly missed since, especially every Sunday and especially whenever the Panthers, his favorite team, takes the field.
This Go Fund Me is his last hurrah, his mic drop. While we have all made our peace with his passing, we wanted to share with all of you a story that has brought joy to our hearts, albeit bittersweet.
For those of you that indulge in this silly little hobby of ours, you'll know that it isn't about the money or sport, but rather the camaraderie and friendship. The anticipation of smack talk amongst friends, the debate and diatribe between news and noise, rookie hype vs veteran clout. Fantasy football brings people together in some of the best ways that life has to offer.
To say our friend Brent lived and breathed fantasy football is an understatement. I've never met someone more passionate or competitive. But in our league, which we started back in 2011, Brent had never won. He had won other leagues, but ours was the one, his unicorn. Born of workplace rivalries in the restaurant business, and having since spread across the country, this league has held together in large part due to him. We keep going each and every year because it means so much to us and is just so much damn fun.
The morning of Sunday November 8th, Brent's team sat at 5-3, in the playoff hunt but dealing with injuries and Covid issues like the rest of us. Gaskin and Golladay were out, but his beloved Christian McCaffrey returned for 37 points to lead his team to victory on the day we learned he was gone. We agreed after to continue setting his lineup, and setting ours, because its what he would've wanted. Nothing crazy, no trades, just using the team he drafted and molded to field a team, maybe a pickup here or there due to injury...
In week 10 McCaffrey was out again, but he won anyway, behind Stefon Diggs, Lamar Jackson, the Vikings D and Brandon Aiyuk. Week 11? Same story. Week 12? He beat yours truly with a little Fitzmagic and SF D. Final week of the regular season, week 13, he was the highest scoring team in the league, demolishing his opponent by 50 points behind Lamar Jackson, Diggs, Gesicki, Aiyuk, and Jonathan Taylor.
Being the #1 seed he earned a bye in the playoffs (he put up the 2nd highest total points at 170 anyway). 2nd round, you already know the names, Jackson, Diggs, Aiyuk...victory. In the championship this past Sunday we were all rooting for him. His players must have known too....a ridiculous performance by Myles Gaskin in the 1pm games, 2 TD's from CeeDee Lamb in the 4pm games, and Stefon Diggs to seal the deal on Monday night.
2020 has been a difficult year to say the least, and we wanted to share a story with all of you that will hopefully bring a smile to your face in light of everything. It brought us so much joy this past Monday for Brent, our Big Cat, our Sugar Bear, (he had a few nicknames ;-)) to win our league this year. We hope his winning inspires you, as it has inspired and uplifted all of us. Brent had a huge heart and bent over backwards to help others.
In a year in which I feel like we've all been pushed to the breaking point, it is more important than ever to help others less fortunate when given the opportunity. We hope that this fundraiser is able to live up to a hell of a friend and human being, one that brought joy and happiness to our lives, and that, in his final performance, might bring some joy and happiness to those that never got the pleasure to meet him.
We are donating all of his winnings from our fantasy football league to 3 causes which we thought he would love, and we hope that you will join us. First, Harvest Hope, a food bank in the South Carolina area that does so much for our community's homeless and less fortunate. Second, We Defy, a group helping disabled combat veterans overcome their challenges through Brazilian Ju Jitsu and fitness training. Third, Wounded Warrior Project, who helps disabled veterans, particularly those dealing with PTSD, return home to family and loved ones.
2020 has been hard on all of us, and we understand many who read this might not be able to give monetarily. We only ask that you share Brent's story, through social media or even just with a friend of yours that needs it, as it has brought joy to us in an otherwise somber time. We celebrate the life of Brent, too short as it may have been, and hope that his story brings you light as we turn the page into 2021.
Cheers to Brent, and all of you, for taking the time to read this swan song. RIP Big Cat.
Sincerely,
The friends and family of Brent Wilkinson
We lost not only a member of our fantasy football league of more than 10 years, but a veteran who had served his time in Iraq; a friend who always thought of others before himself; and a human being whose absence in our lives has been profoundly missed since, especially every Sunday and especially whenever the Panthers, his favorite team, takes the field.
This Go Fund Me is his last hurrah, his mic drop. While we have all made our peace with his passing, we wanted to share with all of you a story that has brought joy to our hearts, albeit bittersweet.
For those of you that indulge in this silly little hobby of ours, you'll know that it isn't about the money or sport, but rather the camaraderie and friendship. The anticipation of smack talk amongst friends, the debate and diatribe between news and noise, rookie hype vs veteran clout. Fantasy football brings people together in some of the best ways that life has to offer.
To say our friend Brent lived and breathed fantasy football is an understatement. I've never met someone more passionate or competitive. But in our league, which we started back in 2011, Brent had never won. He had won other leagues, but ours was the one, his unicorn. Born of workplace rivalries in the restaurant business, and having since spread across the country, this league has held together in large part due to him. We keep going each and every year because it means so much to us and is just so much damn fun.
The morning of Sunday November 8th, Brent's team sat at 5-3, in the playoff hunt but dealing with injuries and Covid issues like the rest of us. Gaskin and Golladay were out, but his beloved Christian McCaffrey returned for 37 points to lead his team to victory on the day we learned he was gone. We agreed after to continue setting his lineup, and setting ours, because its what he would've wanted. Nothing crazy, no trades, just using the team he drafted and molded to field a team, maybe a pickup here or there due to injury...
In week 10 McCaffrey was out again, but he won anyway, behind Stefon Diggs, Lamar Jackson, the Vikings D and Brandon Aiyuk. Week 11? Same story. Week 12? He beat yours truly with a little Fitzmagic and SF D. Final week of the regular season, week 13, he was the highest scoring team in the league, demolishing his opponent by 50 points behind Lamar Jackson, Diggs, Gesicki, Aiyuk, and Jonathan Taylor.
Being the #1 seed he earned a bye in the playoffs (he put up the 2nd highest total points at 170 anyway). 2nd round, you already know the names, Jackson, Diggs, Aiyuk...victory. In the championship this past Sunday we were all rooting for him. His players must have known too....a ridiculous performance by Myles Gaskin in the 1pm games, 2 TD's from CeeDee Lamb in the 4pm games, and Stefon Diggs to seal the deal on Monday night.
2020 has been a difficult year to say the least, and we wanted to share a story with all of you that will hopefully bring a smile to your face in light of everything. It brought us so much joy this past Monday for Brent, our Big Cat, our Sugar Bear, (he had a few nicknames ;-)) to win our league this year. We hope his winning inspires you, as it has inspired and uplifted all of us. Brent had a huge heart and bent over backwards to help others.
In a year in which I feel like we've all been pushed to the breaking point, it is more important than ever to help others less fortunate when given the opportunity. We hope that this fundraiser is able to live up to a hell of a friend and human being, one that brought joy and happiness to our lives, and that, in his final performance, might bring some joy and happiness to those that never got the pleasure to meet him.
We are donating all of his winnings from our fantasy football league to 3 causes which we thought he would love, and we hope that you will join us. First, Harvest Hope, a food bank in the South Carolina area that does so much for our community's homeless and less fortunate. Second, We Defy, a group helping disabled combat veterans overcome their challenges through Brazilian Ju Jitsu and fitness training. Third, Wounded Warrior Project, who helps disabled veterans, particularly those dealing with PTSD, return home to family and loved ones.
2020 has been hard on all of us, and we understand many who read this might not be able to give monetarily. We only ask that you share Brent's story, through social media or even just with a friend of yours that needs it, as it has brought joy to us in an otherwise somber time. We celebrate the life of Brent, too short as it may have been, and hope that his story brings you light as we turn the page into 2021.
Cheers to Brent, and all of you, for taking the time to read this swan song. RIP Big Cat.
Sincerely,
The friends and family of Brent Wilkinson
Organizer
Brian Hogue
Organizer
Columbia, SC